I Loved Her First
by Ari-Griffin
Summary: One shot Kataang. On Katara and Aang's wedding day, one man looks on as they dance.


I Loved Her First

By AriGriffin

Disclaimer- I wrote this several months ago after first hearing the song on the radio while riding in the car. I fell in love with the song and thought it would make an excellent songfic. I do not own Avatar The Last Airbender. It is owned by Viacom International Inc. The song, 'I Loved Her First' is sung by Heartland. When I find who wrote it, I will credit them. Until then, I didn't write the song.

Katara twirled around the ballroom floor as Aang guided her in an elaborate, fast paced dance. A tall, dark haired man watched the pair as they flowed across the marble floor. The flickering of the candles overhead cast a faint shimmering glow on Katara and Aang as they maneuvered around other couples. The band slowed down the tempo of the song they were playing before changing to a slow melody that reminded one of a calm evening and a moonlit stroll on the beach. Aang held on to Katara and she laid her head upon his shoulder as they swayed to the music.

The man watched as Katara laughed at something Aang had whispered in her ear. The candlelight shone upon the necklace that had been around her neck for the past two years as she tilted her head back. He watched as Katara leaned forward and kissed him on the lips.

'_Look at the two of you dancing that way  
Lost in the moment and each others face  
So much in love you're alone in this place  
Like there's nobody else in the world  
I was enough for her not long ago  
I was her number one  
She told me so  
And she still means the world to me  
Just so you know  
So be careful when you hold my girl  
Time changes everything  
Life must go on  
And I'm not gonna stand in your way'  
_

The man watched as Aang reluctantly let go of Katara and she walked up him. The music changed to a simple waltz. Katara stood infront of him with an look of joy on her face.

"Dance with me, Daddy?" Katara asked.

Hakoda could only smile as he held out his hand to his daughter and swept her up into a waltz. Not another word was spoken. Everything had been said before he had walked her down the aisle.

_  
'But I loved her first and I held her first  
And a place in my heart will always be hers  
From the first breath she breathed  
When she first smiled at me  
I knew the love of a father runs deep  
And I prayed that she'd find you someday  
But it still hard to give her away  
I loved her first'_

It was hard to accept, but Hakoda finally came around to the fact that his little girl had grown up. The war had robbed her of most of her childhood and she had been an adult for several years now. The first time he had seen her since he had gone off to war; he was shocked to discover how much his little girl had changed. When he met Aang, he could tell they were destined to be together and it was only a matter of time before they realized it.

The song ended and Katara returned to Aang's waiting embrace. Hakoda returned to his seat, his thoughts on the past. On the late summer night Katara had been born. The full moon shone outside their tent and the salty tang to the breeze mixed with his wife's pain-filled screams. His mother, Kana, held two-year-old Sokka, telling him that he would have a brother or sister soon and of all the responsibilities he would have. He didn't understand her really, but it took his mind off being away from his mother. Suddenly his wife stopped screaming and a new wail filled the night. The healer cut the cord as Hakoda held his daughter for the first time. She had stopped wailing and looked at him startling blue eyes. They shared a smile before he handed her to her mother.

'_How could that beautiful women with you  
Be the same freckle faced kid that I knew  
The one that I read all those fairy tales to  
And tucked into bed all those nights  
And I knew the first time I saw you with her  
It was only a matter of time'_

He remembered the first time he told her of the story of the water spirits, her wide-eyed expression at the wonder of the story handed down from his father's father. He smiled as she begged for more stories as he tucked her into her sleeping bag. Watching as his wife tugged a comb through Katara's knot filled hair, while Katara pleaded for her mother to stop torturing her. He laughed as he remembered Katara admiring the braid as she stood overlooking the ocean. He remembered how the fear of loosing his children in addition to his wife vanished after finding her and Sokka after the Fire Nation had destroyed most of their settlement. He wept as he held his children as they said goodbye to their mother and the day he said goodbye, heading off to war.

'But I loved her first and I held her first  
And a place in my heart will always be hers  
From the first breath she breathed  
When she first smiled at me  
I knew the love of a father runs deep  
And I prayed that she'd find you someday  
But its still hard to give her away  
I loved her first'

He remembered how he and Sokka had taken the young Avatar aside when he and Katara had returned to the village after going for a walk along the seashore and how Katara was wearing a new necklace by the next full moon.

'_From the first breath she breathed  
When she first smiled at me  
I knew the love of a father runs deep  
Someday you might know what I'm going through  
When a miracle smiles up at you  
I loved her first'  
_

Hakoda waved as Katara and her new husband climbed aboard Appa's back and prepared to take off on their honeymoon. Katara said something to Aang, who smiled, before she dismounted and ran to her father and brother. Katara threw her arms around Sokka and whispered a thank you in his ear. She let go and turned to Hakoda. He hugged her and kissed her on the forehead. As she let go and returned to her husband, Hakoda thought, 'Hopefully, Aang will know what I'm feeling one day.'

Thank you for reading. Feedback is always welcome. Have a nice day.


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